Data and computing shape nearly every aspect of modern life, yet K–12 education has struggled to keep pace. In this episode of Practical Significance, Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein welcome Nick Horton (Amherst College) and Anna Bargagliotti (Loyola Marymount University) to discuss the National Academies report, Data and Computing in K–12 Foundational Competencies 2026. Together, they unpack the report’s […]
National Academies
Earth Day Projects: Measuring Climate Change and Taking Action
It’s April, the flowers are blooming, and the birds are singing, so it must be time for Stats4Good’s annual list of Earth Day project ideas.
New Report on US Data Infrastructure: An Interview with Robert Groves
The first of three reports from a National Academies Committee on National Statistics panel explains why the US needs a revamped infrastructure. Committee chair Robert M. Groves answers questions about the panel’s vision.
People News for February 2022
See what ASA members have been up to in February 2022’s People News.
FY21 Federal Budget Finalized
![Figure 1 shows the budgets of the seven mid-sized statistical agencies normalized to their FY09 levels, along with the GDP deflator to account for inflation. Budget restructuring for ERS in FY15 and ORES in FY19 are accounted for in the graph to allow for comparison over this time period. One-time moving costs in FY16 for BEA are also omitted. [Key: BEA, Bureau of Economic Analysis; BJS, Bureau of Justice Statistics; BTS, Bureau of Transportation Statistics; ERS, USDA Economic Research Service; NCSES, NSF National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics; ORES, Social Security Administration Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics; SOI, IRS Statistics of Income Division]](https://magazine.amstat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/FY_Figure1_-150x150.jpg)
The NIH, NSF, and several federal statistical agencies received increases, but many are facing fiscal challenges after years of purchasing power loss.
ASA Seeks New Science Policy Fellow
The ASA is accepting applications for its science policy fellowship for fall 2020.
Sally C. Morton
The daughter of two immigrant doctors, Sally Morton has focused her career on health policy with the objective of using statistics to help patients and their families make better health care decisions. She chose to study statistics because she enjoyed applied mathematics and desired a career with the potential for helping people live a better life.
Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency Released
The fifth edition of Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency from the National Research Council’s Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) was publicly released May 8. P&P (as it is known) describes four fundamental principles and recommends 13 practices that best position a federal statistical agency to provide accurate and credible statistical information to policymakers and the public.
ASA Endorses Recommendations to Improve Forensic Methods
The ASA Board of Directors recently voted to endorse recommendations made in Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, a 2009 National Academies’ report. In its statement, the board recognized the pivotal role of forensic science in the U.S. judicial system and cited the value of statistical methods and research to improve forensic methods.
